Canada Day Chocolate Cupcakes

Today, July 1st, is Canada Day.  Woke up real early (as usual!), and went for a 2-hour walk at Ile Bizard.  It was cloudy but still beautiful!!

Came back home, had a quick lunch, a little snooze... and decided to bake some cupcakes to bring to the office tomorrow!

I had these little sprinkles to use - so cute - and today was the perfect day to use them!! :)

So the choice of cupcakes was easy - made these chocolate-cupcakes!

Aren't the little red leaves cute??!! :)

A closer look...

The frosting is so easy and oh so tasty (i got to lick the spoon!!)

Chocolate Cupcakes (adapted from Ina Garten) (my changes in red)

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (I used a little less)
1/4 cup + 2 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 egg at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup strong brewed
sprinkles (optional)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

2 cups confections sugar
1/2 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoons milk
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add salt. Mix with an electric mixer (if using stand mixer, use paddle attachment) on low speed until combined.

3. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

4.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Place cupcakes out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

5. Frost with vanilla frosting and top with sprinkles.
 
To make the Frosting:


1. Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

2. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, add 2 more tablespoons of the confectioners sugar, one at a time. Drizzle in the milk, and mix it until combined. Add one more tablespoon of the sugar, then drizzle in the vanilla and mix until combined.